Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-16
s.RIinal TOln.v

b11nU 1OlD.
1t has been announced that Judge Dono-
hue, of New York, has denied a motion on
the part of Gen. John N. Bethune to vacate
an order made in March last appointing
Mrs Elise Bethune committee of Blind
Tom TO Tom the decision causes the ut
most disappointment and grief. The result
which must follow if the order is carried out
is regarded as absolutely calamity to the
poor blind negro pianist. He has lived with
the family of Gen. Bethune the full thirty.
eight years of his life and long before the
discovery and development of his wonder
full musical powers.
Tom was born on the plantation of Gen.
Bethune, near the city of Columbus, Ga,
May 25, 1S49 and since then had been un.
der the constant care of the Bethupe family.
In 1865 Gen. Betnuno purchased and re-
moved to the farm be new resides upon in
Fauquier county. at this quiet, old.fa
oned homestead Tom has for the past
twenty Tears passed his summers and vaca.
t;cns after concert tours, and has built up
and fcstered in his simple, craving mind
habitation he has never left but with g sad
and heavy heart, and for which he ever
pined when away.
Gen. Bethune, a gentleman of means prior
to Toms advent in this world, owns Elway,
a splendid farm. 1t is here that Tom has
been spending large portion Of his life.
His room is about twelve feet square, plain.
y but comfortably furnished a grand piano,
selected for the richness and fullness of its
tone, occupying conspicuous place. Seat
ed at this instrument hour after hour daily,
and often the greater part of the day, his soul
speaks in the richest symphonies. Then,
again, he will stand by the hour looking
point blank as the brightly shining sun, a
position TO which ne is particularly partial.
He can see the sun as it would appear to
one looking through smoked glass. He is
not totally blind, as ia supposed. With
his friends lie is cheerful, talkative, even
playful to q stranger, unless introduced
and vouched for by one of the family, no
statue was ever more impassive. In his
happiest strains strange voice will as etfec-
tually chill and change his spirits as if the
freezing atmosphere Of an iceberg had swept
suddenly down upon him. Under such cir
cumstances, as when iDfuriated, he is as un-
tractable as the Winds and it is believed that
his being forced into new and distastefu re.
lations will produce trouble of a serious ma
ture He openly declares his intention to
remain with Gen. Bethuue, and one can
hardly blame him for clingiDg to the friend
of his childhood and lifetime.
When, after TOMS birth, it became ap-
parent he was an imbecie, and when later
his musical genius developed itself, it was
decided to provide him with legal protect
ion, and at the instance of his father and
mother ne was duly apprenticed to Gen.
John N. Bethune. In 1868 Gen. Bethune
removed TO Virginia, as heretofore stated,
bringing Tom with him, but literally pro-
viding for the support of the family left at
the old home. The apprenticeship expired
May %, 1870, and in the following July Jno.
n. Bethune, son OF Gen. Bethune, was ap-
pointed committee of Tom. AS had been
the custom for several years, Mr. Bethune
repaired to New York during vacation with
Tom, that he might resume his studies.
Upon reaching there he was led to select
rooms at lodging house kept by Mrs.
Elise Stutzbach, the devoted wife of one
Otto Stutzbach. She was woman with
keen eye TO business and saw in the posses
sion of Tom valuable "6nd." The result
was that on November, 1882, MIR. Bethune
and Mrs. Stutzbach were married, which
seems to have been tho beginning of an un-
timely ending. Leaving shortly on an
eight months concert tour with Tom, Mr.
Bethune saw nothing Of his newly welded
wifo until his return. Upon his return nc
found that Mrs. Bethune had broken up the
old housekeeping arrangements and opened
I'D under different circumstances at new
place. He was received with the utmost
disdan and so shamefully mistreated, it is
alleged, that he had 70 leave the house, and
finally obtained divorce. Returning from
trip to New York shortly afterward, Mr..
Bethune was accidentally killed by the
cars at Wilmington, Del. At the inquest
Mrs. Bethune put in an appearance as the
widow and legatee, but the will showed
that he had, for i'll treatment and personal
abuse, cut her off without fartning. When
this transpired, she boldly attacked the at.
torneys with her parasol and so outraged
the solemnity of the occasion that the coro-
ner had her forcibly elected from the room.
Then and there she vowed vengeance
against General Bethune, it is said, and
the recent decision of Judge Donohue Is
the latest chaper in q persstently pursued
series of legal actions to get possession o
Tom.
Charity Virgins, the mother of Tom, tc
whom Gen. Bethune had paid $4,000, be
sides building her comfortable home or
his own plantation, was, under promise o
$500 month, induced to leave her friend:
rand family and become citizen of New
York, and as such caused in November las
an application to be made for a committee
of Tom, Notwithstanding one already exist
ed under the Virginia laws, which wa
granted, and Mrs. Bethune was appointed
The recent motion before Judge Donohu
was to yacate this order, snd its denia
leaves nothing to be done at present bu
comply with the order and turn Tom Owe
10 the new committee, which was done IL
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